Photographer&#39;s flash gun



April 22, 1930.

H` R. STOTT Y PYHOTOGRAPHER S FLASH GUN Filed June 1,- 1928 l Patented Apr. 22,1930 .i i a i l 3,755,707 l UNir-'su etarras ear-.ar 'fri-rica l irARoLD R. s'rro'rrfzoii rHrLannLrrirA, vPENNsYLvnNiue. A

l y PHOTOGRAPHERVS FLASH AGrim yApplication filed #Tune-r1, 1928.' Serial No. 282,240.

This invention relates" to improvements in jecting lixedly therefrom in axial'alinement A. flash light devices for photographersv use in with the air tube 3 is the tubular body. p0rmaking flashlight photographs of objects not tion 11 of a powder containeigjand screwed on requiring instantaneous exposures when it is to the outer' end'of the tubular body 11 isa i 5 desirable to produce a plurality of flashlights removablepcover fitting 12 carrying a powder 55 in different positionsrelatively to eachobje'ct discharging-'nozzle 13 which is screwed' on in making a single exposure thereof.' to fitting 12. The nozzle 13 is expanded and The object of the invention is Atoprovijde a flattened at its outer. end Yportionproviding flashjgun of novel, simple and compact cona broad andv narrowv powder' discharging f 10 struction operated by a An'ianfually operable opening 14. vrlhe fitting12 is .providedwith 6U air discharging vdevice which will,-at' each a partition wall 15 having a number of per- Operation thereof, ,discharge "and ignite' a forations 16` therein between the'tubularbo'dy quantityH of flashlight powdery without re- 11 and the nozzle 13 for the passage ofv powfilling` between the several. discharges. der from the powder containerv to the" nozzle.

i5 f With the-foregoing object andk related ob- A yieldable valve device 17 isy provided to 65 jects in. View, the inventionV consists ofthe permit air to pass from'theinner end ofthe I elements and the combinations'of thei'nhereair tube 3 andinto the powder container 11 inafter described and claimed.v Y when the rod 6 is pushedinwardly4 and to In the accompanying drawings,` illustratsY prevent'thefreturn of air from the powder ing the' invention, l p

Figure 1 is alongitudinal section through. drawn outwardly. kThis valve device 17 coma flash gun showing oneformofembodiment prises Vva separate Afitting-18 screwed into the ofmyinvent-ion. fitting d'and yhaving a passage 19 therein ycom- Figure 2 is a similar section, enlarged, on municating at one end with the `air tube 3, a

containe'r'tothe airtube`3 when the rod 6 is 70 Yline 2-.2 of Fig. '1,through' the discharge end valve stem 20 loosely fitted within'the pas- 75 p A sage 19 and slidable therein, a valve head 21 vFigure3 isan'end view of the outer-fitting on they stem 20 adapted to a vseat 22 formed of the'powder container.--r K l V- by the vfitting 18 and surrounding the pas- Figure 4; isan enlarged section through sage 19 and a spring23 encircling Ithe "stem the valve device'forcontrolling the passage and bearing at its opposite ends against a S0` v of air `from the air discharging meansto the shoulder on the fitting 18 and a head on the powdercontainer. V- l stem `20"and;tendingto forcethe valve'head Referring tothe drawings, 3designates an 2l-to`wa`rd the seat 22. When the rod 6 vis air tube having inner and outer fittings l and drawn outwardly, the spring 23 seats the head portion of the gun.v

'f5 5 screwed on to the respective ends thereof.v 21 againstV the seat 22 and prevents the'pis- S5y Slidable in the outer fittingl 5 isy al centrally t0n 8 from drawing airfrom the powder con-y arranged rod 6 having a suitable handle l7 Von tainer 11; and, when the rod 6 is forced in-' the outer 'end thereof. The inner 'end of the wardly, the air within the air tube3 is forced rodV 6 carries a piston 8 comprising arigid through the'valve devicer 17 and intothe pow-l I 3 collar 9 fixed tothe rod andaflexible, lcup- Vdercontainer againstthe action ofthe valve 95 like collar 10. The collars `Q'and lO'ar'e' fitted springl 23.A f to the inner wall ofthe tube 3, and the rod Extending fixedly from the tting18- with- 6 is fitted to the tting 5 in a manner to perinthepowder'container 11 and'coi-nm'unicat-` mit lair to enter the tube 3 through the yfitlingwith the passage 19 Vwithin thefittingflS y' ting 5 and pass the piston 8'when'the rod 6 is-fan air pipe 24chav-ing two branches'25and 95 is drawn outwardly, and to cause'the flexible 26 which discharge intothe powder container collar 10 to bind against the tube 3, and force 11' at two spacedwfpoints 27 and'28 near the air ywithin the tube toward the innerV fitting respective ends ofthe container, the discharg- 4; when the rod 6 is'pushed inwardly. ing ends of the branch pipes being turned Y? Screwed into the inner fitting l and proawayfrom the -nozzlef13 to direct theff air T60 K thereon by friction and to be removable therefrom. This tray 29 contains a wick' or pad 30 of absorbent material which surrounds the discharging opening 1li of the nozzle in Close relation thereto and which is adapted vto receive alcohol or other fuel to beburned as a means of igniting the powder discharged from the nozzle.V

The tray 29 and nozzle 13 are provided with a removable cover 31 having a flange 82 which surrounds the tray 29 and which is held thereon by friction. rlhe coverBl is provided with a blade 33 projecting fixedly therefrom and constructed to enter the dischargeopening 1li in the nozzle 13 and clear the same of powder when the cover 31 is applied to the nozzle and the tray, so that Yeach time the cover is removed the nozzle will present a clear passage for` the discharge of powder from the container 11.

Formed on the cover 31 is a small tant: 34 for Vcontaining alcohol or other fuel to be poured therefrom upon the pad or Awiclr 30 as needed. The tank 311 is provided with an inletopening closed by a screw cap 35 for permitting the Vtanlr to be filled, and with a small outlet spout 36 through which the fuel may be poured upon the pad or wickyO. The spout 36 is provided with a suitable, removable screw cap or cover 37 to close the same.

The operation of the device, briefly described, is as follows:

The usual powdered magnesium metal is placed within the powder container 11, the cover 31 is removed from the nozzle 13 and tray 29, and aquantity of alcohol orother fuel is poured from the tank 34 upon the pad or wick 30 andignited. The flash gun is now ready for use, and, each time the rod 6 is drawn outwardly and forced inwardly, the air from the tube 3 forced through the valve device 17 enters the powder container 11, agitates the powder therein and forces a portion thereof out through the nozzle 13, Y

and the powder thus discharged from the nozzle is ignited by the flame of the burning fuel surrounding the nozzle and a flash of light is produced.' This result, takes place each time the rod 6 is drawn outwardly and forced inwardly until allthe powder within the container has been used. VThe container may then be refilled with powder after the removal of the fitting12, and, after the fitting 12 has been replaced, the flash gun is again in readiness for the production of another series of flash lights.

I claim as my invention 1. The combination of an air tube, a powder container communicating with one end of the air tube and comprising a tubular body having fittings screwed on to the respective ends thereof and' a powder discharging nozzle screwed on to one of said fittings, the other of said fittings being screwed on to the air tube, a manually operable piston within the air tube for discharging air from the same to the container, a yieldable valve device permitting airto pass from the air tube to the container and preventing the return of the air to the air tube, and means to ignite powder discharged from the nozzle.

2. The combination of an air tube, a fitting screwed onto one end thereof, a tubular body screwed lon to said fitting and forming a powder container, a fitting screwed on to the tubular body, a powder discharging nozzle screwed on to the last named fitting, the last named fitting having' a plurality of openings therein aording communication between the tubular body and the nozzle, a manuallyV operable piston within the air tube for discharging air from the same to the container, a yieldable valve device permitting air to pass from the air tube to the container and preventing the return of the air to the air tube, and means to ignite powder discharged from the nozzle.

3. The combination of a powder container having a nozzle provided with a powder discharging opening, a tray carried by and surrounding the nozzle and having absorbent material therein, means operable to discharge powder from the container and through the nozzle, and a removable cover having a flange surrounding and fitted to the tray and having a part adapted to enter the nozzle when the cover is applied to the tray. 1

Y 4l. The combination of a tubular container having a wall closing one end thereof and having a powder discharging nozzle connected to the other end thereof, a yieldable valve device `permitting air to pass therethrough to the container andppreventing the return of the air therethrough, a pipe extending from the discharge end of the valve device and having an open end directed toward the end wall of the container, and means operable to force air through said valve device.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

HAROLD R. STOTT.

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